Riding bicycles in Santa Monica can be hazardous in more than one way; this is because while most bike riders know how dangerous cars are, there are other dangers. Riding a bicycle can be a great way to exercise or save on gas when work is close enough, but it also can mean being on the road with motor vehicles, and that can be dangerous for the bicyclist. The one thing that many riders don’t realize is that drivers often say they never saw the bicycle or the rider. This means the rider can be severely injured because the only protection they have from a collision is a helmet and any other protective gear they might be wearing.
Cyclist Injury Risk
There are other hazards that the bicyclist might face, and these can also cause severe injuries. They include uneven pavement, road debris, and excess gravel. The bicyclist only has two wheels, and when encountering any of these conditions, they can easily lose control. That means sustaining injuries that might include traumatic head trauma, spinal cord injuries, cuts, scrapes, bruises, and broken bones.
Roadway Safety Responsibility
In many cases, these accidents are avoidable and occur because of poor maintenance or failure to warn cyclists of road hazards. Municipalities and road agencies have a legal duty to ensure public roadways are reasonably safe for all users—including bicyclists. When they fail in this duty, they can and should be held accountable.
Riding bicycles in Santa Monica can be hazardous in more than one way, which leaves the rider injured and their bicycle damaged. This is when the injured rider or the family of a bicyclist that was fatally injured needs their rights protected by an experienced bicycle injury attorney.
Bicycle Rights Advocacy
The Santa Monica personal injury attorney, who is also a bicycle crash lawyer and rider, is skilled in the laws that protect the rider’s rights, and they are able to hold the negligent driver or road maintenance agency responsible for the bicyclist’s injuries and damages to their bike. This can include medical bills, ongoing medical care, pain and suffering, loss of wages—all of which were caused by the bicycle accident and the negligent driver or roadway agency.
Without an attorney who specializes in bicycle accidents, the injured Santa Monica rider or family would not recover the settlement they deserve. Even with an attorney who does not specialize in these types of crashes, they may not fully understand the nuances of bicycle accident cases. Bicycle accidents are unlike other crashes—riders have little to no physical protection from the road or the vehicle that hits them, making the injuries far more severe.
